Second Year At Hearst College
by Sweet Darkling
Summary: The title's a nod to Enid Blyton's lovely books. Veronica comes back to Hearst College for her second year and, surprisingly, makes a friend on her first day. Who has a secret. And, being Veronica, she comes across a murder soon enough. Who, what, why?


**Disclaimer****:** I don't own Veronica Mars, the Twilight Series or Roswell (the TV show).

**Author's note****:** I've always been a fan of Veronica Mars and murder mysteries, so I thought I'd try my hand at one. I already know who's going to die and I have an idea of who killed them, so worry not, there definitely will be some drama coming up. Just as a warning, this is almost a triple cross-over between Veronica Mars, Twilight series and Roswell, the TV show. They will each have their own story, so you don't really need to know anything about the other two for each story. The first chapter of the Roswell one is up – Unnatural Born Leaders.

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**Second Year at Hearst College**

**Chapter I**

She's wondering how and when college became just like high school, as she leaves her room on the first day of her second year. She remembers a time, seemingly long ago, when college _hadn't_ been the same, but as she gets closer to the first class she has this day, she realises that that time feels like a long time ago because it _was_ a long time ago.

And it hadn't survived her first day of college. At least the classes would be more interesting this year, she muses. And she doesn't have to be suspicious about a stupid boyfriend either, although she's not sure whether she's entirely happy about that. And there isn't a hit on Logan by the Russian mafia. Those are all very good plusses, she tells herself, even though she's dreading everything about college but her classes.

And just her luck that the first person she sees is Dick; just her damn luck! Dick Casablancas, looking the same as last year and harassing a girl...just like last year. Her right hand grabs her taser from inside her bag, although she's fairly certain she can chase the icky little Dicky away from the poor girl without it, but better safe than sorry right? As she moves closer, she can hear the conversation and it makes her lips twitch upwards. Guess she found another thing she didn't hate about Hearst College.

"Why? Because my dick is so fucking awesome, it's legendary? And you wanna do it?" Dick's pick-up lines were never of the better quality.

"No, because you are one. The kind of dick that realises his dick is not only tiny but also thin and wholly inept at giving anyone but himself pleasure and so, you overcompensate by being a douche bag." Veronica can see Dick just gaping at the girl in front of him but it seems the girl hasn't run out of steam yet. "If you like, I could make your dick bigger for you? It would involve punching, of course, which'll not only make your penis huge, but also black, blue and painful. And I'll even do it for free, just because I like you that damn much, you pathetic moron." Dick was spluttering now but she _still_ hadn't finished. "Now leave, before I really punch you. And just so you know, I don't hit like a girl, I hit like a boy since I grew up with shitloads of brothers who used to fight with me. Physically," she adds, just for clarity and by now, Veronica knows she likes this girl, no matter what dirty secret she has.

"Guess that's all my fun gone." She says chirpily to the girl. "I'm Veronica." She can see the girl judging her on her perkiness and blonde hair and she honestly doesn't blame her. A blonde Veronica chirpy in the morning is like a vampire slayer called Buffy – it's just bad humour. "I was just coming over to save you from this oaf here. I've got a taser in my bag." She explains to the girl's questioning look. "I guess I don't have to use it – your verbal assault seems pretty effective _and_ entertaining." She gives Dick a measuring look. "Although it could still be fun. Why don't you run along before I taser you for fun, Dicky boy?" She ignores the muttered 'fuck you Veronica' as she looks at the girl. The girl's half a foot taller than her but it's not the height that's intimidating; it's the look on her face that states very clearly that she won't take crap from anyone. That aside, the girl was attractive, which wasn't always a given, considering the low standards Dick often had. Slim with very well toned muscles, dark skin that seemed flawless, dark eyes that didn't seem all that warm or friendly. She was definitely someone Veronica wanted to befriend – thank god for Dick pissing the girl off.

"I'm Leah," The girl replies, after having blatantly thought over the introduction. "You really have a taser in there?"

"Yup, and it's plenty of fun to play with," Veronica took it out to back up her claim. "I haven't seen you around here before, have I? And I'm guessing you haven't met Dick before, have you?"

"No, I'm a freshman." The answer took Veronica aback because Leah looked a lot older than 19. As if reading her mind, she continued, "I took a few years out to...help my mother out." _What about your father?_ Veronica was sorely tempted to ask the question but the kind of evasive answer she'd been given, along with the suffering the girl had clearly suffered made her keep her mouth shut, despite the curiosity eating her inside. She'd learned early on that this kind of question was rarely appreciated and were more likely to annihilate a possible friendship than cement it...at least in the earlier days of the friendship. Later, she'd get the info.

"Yeah, well old age isn't going to stop you from doing stupid, humiliating, embarrassing things like most of the rest of us," Veronica told her. "Besides, you don't look that old – not old enough to have a stroke or anything anyway." She instantly regretted her words when she saw Leah stiffen the slightest before trying to appear natural. "Uh, anyway, so I have a lecture right now, and I'm guessing you probably do as well, so want to meet up at lunch? Unless...you have other friends you'd rather have lunch with; friends who aren't bitter, cynical hags that hates the majority of life on earth." Even though Leah now had a small smile on her face, Veronica was fairly certain she'd scared the poor girl away. Sometimes, the rants and tirades she often had in her mind almost seemed like a life force, pushing her lips open and coming out through its own will. Other times, she just wanted a bitch. She wasn't sure which reason it was for the current flow of words she'd just uttered.

"Bitter and cynical? Sounds like I've got my lunch plans sorted. See you at the...?" Veronica told her to meet her at the usual cafeteria that she had her lunch in. "Sounds good. Just so you know, the only other person I've met is my room-mate, who's a staunch Christian and considers me a 'heathen'. You were always gonna be my first choice for lunch."

"Lucky me – first choice by default, I like it. Anyway, I've got to rush for my first lecture. I'll see you at lunch." Veronica walked away, impressed that the smile on her face was genuine for once. It wasn't every day that she found people who accepted her cynical view on life and sarcastic humour; it was even less common for her to like these said people, so now that she had found one on her first day back to college, she took it as a sign that this year will be less crap than the last one. As always, she lived in hope, even though she had that tingly feeling right now that she got when she knew something important, something key, was about to happen. She just hoped it wasn't the murder of someone else she liked. She still wasn't quite over the Dean's death.


End file.
